Spanish-born Woman Who Found Fame for Botching a Famous Painting Repair Has Died at Age 94
The elderly woman from Spain who made international headlines for her infamous repair job on a cherished religious painting has passed away at the age of 94.
The woman, a resident of the town of Borja in northeast Spain, became a global sensation 13 years ago after she attempted to restore a century-old fresco known as Ecce Homo housed within her local church.
Giménez's restoration effort spread across the internet and was dubbed "Potato Jesus", because the resulting depiction of Christ's head looking somewhat like a furry primate.
Local Announcement and Homage
The nonagenarian's death was announced by Borja's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, via an online statement, where he described her as a "great enthusiast of painting from a very early age".
"Descansa en paz Cecilia, we will always remember you," Arilla wrote.
Arilla also paid tribute to Giménez's "now-legendary restoration of Ecce Homo" in the summer of 2012, which "because of the deteriorated condition it presented, Cecilia, with the best intentions, decided to repaint the work over".
The Artwork's Background and the Now-Infamous Act
The Ecce Homo ("Behold the Man" in Latin) by 19th century artist Elias Garcia Martinez had resided for more than a hundred years in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church near Zaragoza.
In 2012, Giménez, who was 81 years old, stated that parishioners had "traditionally fixed everything here", and that she had been given the go-ahead from the local priest to do the work.
She added at the time that anyone who came into the Church would have observed she was painting over the original image.
A Surprising Economic Lifeline
The impact of the repaint job led to the creation of the "Monkey Christ" internet phenomenon and saw the once quiet town of Borja rapidly turn into a major tourist destination.
The town, which had previously welcomed just 5,000 tourists per year, attracted over 40,000 tourists by 2013, and generated over €50,000 for charity from the interest.
Today, officials estimate that between 15,000 and 20,000 tourists visit Borja every year to view the notorious painting, which is now protected by a protective shield of glass.
Legacy and Local Support
Following the wave of criticism, backed by the townspeople and well-wishers globally, Giménez later hold an exhibition of her paintings showcasing twenty-eight of her personal paintings.
She was praised by the mayor for her generosity and decades of dedication to the parish.
Ultimately, what began as a sincere but unsuccessful art repair forged an unlikely cultural icon and provided remarkable attention and resources to a humble Spanish town.
